WINTER PARK, Fla. – Six teams will take the field this spring for the inaugural season of men’s lacrosse in the Sunshine State Conference. The Tampa Spartans have been chosen as the preseason favorite to win the first-ever SSC Men’s Lacrosse regular-season title.
In a poll conducted among the SSC head men’s lacrosse coaches, the Spartans tallied 25 points and received five of the six first-place votes. Saint Leo was selected second with 20 points and received the remaining first-place vote.
Florida Southern was picked third with 17 points. Florida Tech was tabbed fourth with 13 points. Rollins took the fifth slot with 10 points.
Lynn, who enters its own inaugural season, rounded out the poll with five points.
Tampa will open the inaugural SSC men’s lacrosse season when it travels to Queens (N.C.) on Feb. 8. Florida Southern will also open its 2014 campaign on Feb. 8 at Pfeiffer.
Lynn’s first-ever men’s lacrosse game will be held in Boca Raton on March 3 when the Fighting Knights welcome Notre Dame de Namur.
Prior to Lynn’s season-opener, Rollins will travel to Florida Southern on Saturday, March 1 for the first conference match of the inaugural season. The Tars and Moccasins will square off at 1 p.m.
Conference action will be in full swing beginning on Friday, March 14 and will conclude on Tuesday, April 15.
The top four seeds will make it to the inaugural SSC Men’s Lacrosse Championship, which will begin on Saturday, April 19 with the semifinal round. The championship game will take place the following Saturday, April 26 where the first SSC Men’s Lacrosse Tournament Champion will be crowned.
2014 Sunshine State Conference Preseason Men’s Lacrosse Poll
Rank – Team, Points (1st-place votes)
1 – Tampa, 25 (5)
2 – Saint Leo, 20 (1)
3 – Florida Southern, 17
4 – Florida Tech, 13
5 – Rollins, 10
6 – Lynn, 5
Visit tampaspartans.com for the latest news and info on University of Tampa Athletics.
